Hirosaki Park (Hirosaki-jo Castle): one of 7 most famous castles in Japan

From Hirosaki station take the Konan Bus for the Shiyakusho (Municipal Office). Get off at Shiyakusho-mae (15 min. ride).

Saisho-in Five-storied Pagoda: the beautiful contrast of red and green Saisho-in, the nation's northern-most five-storied pagoda, is 31.2 meters high. The clan's third generation feudal lord Nobuyoshi had the pagoda built to honor the men whose lives were lost during the Tsugaru clan's unification battle. The construction took 10 years and was completed in 1667. The structure, known to have been built by a highly skilled craftsman, is an excellent work of art. From Hirosaki station take the Konan Bus for Sakuragaoka. Get off at Hirosaki High School (13 min. ride).

Chosho-ji Temple and Zenrin-gai take you back to the Yedo period (1603-1867). During the construction of Hirosaki-jo Castle, 33 temples of the Soto sect were gathered in the southwestern side of the premises to form Zenrin-gai (a Zen Buddhist town). In 1610 Chosho-ji, the family temple of the Tsugaru clan, was moved from Horikoshi (the former location of the Tsugaru lord's resident castle) to the corner of Zenrin-gai. Within the temple premises is the magnificent Sanmon gate built in 1629 and other valuable cultural assets such as the bronze temple bell and the colorful 500 Disciples of Buddha. Main Hall admission 300 yen / Open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (9 a.m. - 4 p.m. November through mid December, reserved visitors only from end of December through March, closed January and February) From Hirosaki station take the Konan Bus for Yonchuko. Get off at Shigemori-cho Chosho-ji Iriguchi (20 min. ride) and walk 10 minutes.

Enjoy the Neputa Festival year-round at Neputa Village Neputa floats of different shapes and sizes, the largest being the 10 meter-high fan shaped neputa, are displayed in a Tsugaru clan era miso (soy bean paste) warehouse. A museum assistant will provide details about the history and the festival of neputa. Visitors can also try the festival taiko drums. Local folk craft is introduced in the workshop where visitors can make and take home their own goldfish neputa or kokeshi wooden dolls. Admission 500 yen / Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (closes at 4 p.m. December through March) / 0172-39-1511 From Hirosaki station take the Konan Bus for Hama-no-machi. Get off at Kamenokou -machi kado (13 min.)